The present invention relates to apparatus for automatically unfurling flags that generally tend to wrap around the poles they are mounted on caused by local wind conditions.
Heretofore, flags mounted to poles are typically flown in a variety of orientations. Vertically mounted flag poles generally fly in front of buildings or factories. Flags are also mounted to vertical surfaces such as telephone poles, trees and houses and are flown from poles mounted to the vertical surface at an angle typically 45 degrees. Where the flags are mounted directly to the poles, local wind conditions may cause the flag to wrap around the pole (furl) inhibiting them from flying as intended. In many cases, the flag must be manually unfurled either by removing the flag from the pole or by removing the pole/flag combination from its mounting bracket, unfurling the flag and replacing it in its bracket. Manual unfurling is extremely bothersome and time consuming.
Various flag unfurlers are known in the art. An example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,301 to Peters et al, utilizes an automatic flag unfurling apparatus comprising a squirrel-cage like assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,652 to Thibault et al, describes an unfurler comprising a sleeve and various other components to mount the flag to the sleeve and the sleeve/flag assembly to the pole, U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,822 to Wikkerink describes a capped sleeve arrangement placed on the top of the flag pole. U.S. Pat. No. 4,227,406 to Coffey describes an arrangement wherein a shoulder is fixed and fastened to a boat shroud. A tubular mandral which holds a flag sits upon a bearing surface which, in turn, sits on the shoulder. The tubular mandrel is slit along its length to accept and hold the flag in place or by adhesively attaching the flag around the mandrel. Other examples are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 744,977 to Nourse; 632,580 to Macartney; 1,646,467 to Walton; and 2,711,712 to Reed, Jr.
All of these devices suffer from the disadvantage in that they are complex and costly in nature, are difficult to install on a flag pole, and require tools for installation. The invention of the present application is designed to overcome these problems and others.